Looks like Western Digital has entered the world of HD media streaming. The WD TV HD Media Player is said to “turn your USB drive into an HD media player, allowing you to watch your favorite HD movies on your TV.” So, basically it lets you plug in a USB hard drive and play multimedia clips up to 1080p on your HDTV via HDMI/composite outputs. Comes with a remote control and browsing software. The small 1.6- x 4.9- x 3.9-inch box is pretty portable and the $129.99 price doesn’t hurt too much.

If you want a really big picture for your home theater, there are several ways to go about it. You can spend tens of thousands on a really big LCD of plasma TV screen. That’s far outside the capability of most of us. Or you can opt for a projector and get about 100-inches or more of home theater goodness.

Sanyo has announced a new projector called the PLV-Z3000 that would make for a great home theater. The Z3000 can throw an image 100-inches from 10 to 20 feet away from the screen. The projector also features the first utilization of 5:5 pull down that allows users to watch broadcast TV and more in movie theater quality.

I have never brought a TV based on how thin it was in profile. Once the set is on my entertainment center, how thick it is really doesn’t matter. I am more about the image quality and screen size. I could see a really thin TV being appealing if it was going to be wall mounted though.

Sony has announced a pair of new 1080p Bravia TVs at CEDIA that will suit those looking for thin and those looking for the best image quality. The Sony KLV-40ZX1M is one of the thinnest sets this side of an OLED screen at only 9.9mm thick. Sony says that is about the thickness of a DVD case. The TV is also very light for a 40-inch TV at only 26 pounds.

Another Samsung flat panel line up riding the waves of the consumer electronics company’s big annoucements last week is the Series 7 Plasma HDTVs. They will be available in August in 50-inch, 58-inch and 63-inch screen sizes (model numbers: PN50A760, PN58A760 and PN63A760), pricing around $2,800, $4,500 and $5,500, respectively.

The main highlights of the Series 7 displays include the hint of red blended into the outer edges of the artsy panels, 1080p resolution and Internet-based content provided by USA Today. You can get the full details after the jump.

Samsung last week, besides rolling out some Series 8 flat panels, also introduced  its new flagship Series 9 LED-backlit LCD HDTVs. These models are the 46-inch LN46A950 and 55-inch LN55A950, priced around $3,200 and $4,200, respectively.

These new Series 9 panels from Samsung make use the company’s “LED SmartLighting” technology, offers consumers a combination of LED and 120Hz technologies. This reportedly results in a “1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for a crisp, full HD 1080p picture.” This HDTVs also sport a bit of an art touch via the patterned bezel with charcoal gray accent.

Samsung had a little mid-year coming out party yesterday as it unveiled a bunch of new flat panels and associated home theater gear. One of these upcoming releases is the new Series 8 850 and Series 8 860 LCD HDTVs, pricing between around $2,700 and $3,500.

Four models make up the Series 8 850 and 860, consisting of two each 45.9- and 52-inch televisions. All units will be available in September and unique features include a slim, narrow bezel with a touch of color around the edges and support for RSS feeds from USA Today. For full details, check out the press release after the jump.

At CES in January I wandered over to the NVIDIA meeting area and spent some time in the little gaming area NVIDIA had set up. Hands down the coolest thing on display was a big screen 3D TV that was being used to play some Need For Speed Pro Street. Trust me 3D rocks so hard for gaming you will want it.

The catch with the system NVIDIA was using is that you had to wear these geeky glasses straight out of the 1980’s to get the 3D effect. Philips announced a new 52-inch 3D monitor today that is auto-stereoscopic meaning you don’t have to wear glasses to view in 3D. Sign me up!

LG put out more detailed information today on some new home theater systems first shown off at CES earlier this year. These include, besides the LHT888, the new LHT874, LHT854, LFD850 and LFA840.

These systems are in the processing of appearing at retail locations such as Best Buy and Circuit City. LG describes them as featuring “distinctive designs” and “advanced technology. We detail the other items in this new line up after the jump.

Sharp has now announced a wireless option to its super-thin X-series LCD displays today. Sharp will incorporate Amimon WHDI (Wireless High Definition Interface) 1080p wireless tech into their thinnest flat panels. This means that you won’t have to connect any cables to your TV, aside from the power cord. All the connectors and tuning paraphernaila are in the set-top box you see in the pic. Wires will be officially out of a job, making your life easier, but making them sad like little emo children.

It’s hitting Japan first and will follow in the U.S. It works at distances of up to 100 feet and can even go through several walls. The only bad part is the cost. The wireless capability will add about $800 to an already-expensive $4,000+ 46-inch Sharp X-Series HDTV. But if you are already dishing out that kind of money, I don’t think it will be a problem.

Samsung today put word out through the lands of tech about the availability of its Series 6 and Series 7 LCD HDTVs. These displays range in size from 19- to 52-inches and pricing from around $480 to $3,500.

The Series 6 displays should mostly be available now, with the Series 7 units come out in May. Samsung’s most touted design features with these displays is its “Touch of Color” which draws from “several artistic inspirations” and features “a hint of red color naturally blended into a semi-transparent piano black bezel.” Excuse us while we go wipe the marketing barf off of ourselves – you can read the rest of the Samsung love fest after the jump.

Westinghouse Digital has reportedly unveiled a new “16-inch, flip-style LCD HDTV.” It is known as the PT-16H610S – pricing is said to be around $330.

The PT-16H610S, first shown off at CES, has a dual hinge design for adjusting the display forward and back or via its height. It has an ATSC/NTSC/ClearQAM tuner and 1080p HDMI, among other HD friendly features.

Mitsubishi earlier this week rolled out the carpet on a variety of new HDTVs for release this year. These new models come in a variety of screen sizes and body configurations and should all begin being available this month in staggered releases.

General details of these new models include what Mitsubishi says is thinner frame and brighter DLP models as well as “ultra thin frame” LCD HDTVs with better sound. There’s also upcoming the first ever laser powered television. If you are curious to learn more, check out the entire press release after the jump.

Sony Europe is treating its consumer base to a new BRAVIA television series which does full 1080p HD and offers an AVC-HD tuner. This series is called the BRAVIA W4000-Series.

The BRAVIA W4000-Series LCDs will reportedly range in size from 32- to 52-inches in screen diameter. You’ll get some reportedly really great images on your television with its BRAVIA ENGINE 2, 10-bit signal processing and 10-bit LCD panel. This will all bring you what Sony says is some 64 times more color.

Consumer electronics company NuVision, which specializes in HDTVs, is out with a line up of 10 new models centered around its Lucidium line of HDTVs. Screen sizes range from 22- to 65-inches, according to Dealerscope, and pricing tops out at around $12,000.

The NuVision Lucidium line are all 1080p compatible. Depending upon the model, features possible across these models include Silicon Optix Realta HQV image processing, dual ATSC tuners, up to four HDMI 1.3 inputs and a new cabinet design.

Sony has just let loose two new and colorful Bravia LCDs towards the lower-end of the Bravia line. The new M1 series sports an array of different colorful frames availble bringing some light fun to the lineup of LCD HDTVs.

The two new models include the 20-inch KDL-20M1 and the 16-inch KDL-16M1 which both have just shy of 180 degree viewing angles at 178 and 1366 x 768 pixel displays. They also both contain 1080p HDMI inputs and the Bravia 2 video engine. The larger of the two houses two 5W speakers and has a 1,200:1 contrast ration while the smaller 16-inch model has a 1,800:1 contrast ratio and two 3W speakers.